The present invention concerns a filling device for a fluid container of a vehicle, wherein the filling device comprises at least one filling component which can be extended from a rest position into a filling position on the vehicle, and on which a filling opening is provided which is accessible in the filling position for filling a fluid container with fluid.
Via such a filling component, for example, screen-wash may be added to a screen-wash container which is normally located in the engine bay of a motor vehicle. Because of the adjustable filling component, it is easier for a user to fill the container since the filling component can be extended to provide a filling opening for example on the motor vehicle, without needing to open the engine hood of the motor vehicle.
DE 103 36 847 A1 has already proposed arranging a filling opening in a region below a vehicle windscreen and making this filling open accessible via a movable engine hood or a cover separate from the engine hood. The filling opening is however arranged comparatively deeply here, and thus despite the arrangement in a region below the windscreen, under certain circumstances is still difficult to access from the side. To add fluid, a user in practice need often insert a separate filling funnel in the filling opening in order to add fluid via this. Since, in the device in DE 103 36 847 A1, always either the engine hood or a separate cover must be moved or removed manually to gain access to the filling opening, the operating comfort for a user is substantially restricted, in particular since he/she must already dirty his/her hands to gain access to the filling opening.
DE 198 33 465 A1 proposes, in particular in this context, providing an extendable filling component in or on an engine bay of a motor vehicle. This filling component can be extended when required via e.g. an operating mechanism accessible in the interior of the vehicle. A filling opening may here be provided on the top or side face of the extendable filling component. In a variant embodiment, a filling element is provided which is pivotably mounted on the extendable filling component and takes the form of a closure, via which an end portion of the filling opening is defined when the filling element is in its extended filling position. The filling element here folds outward from a closed position when the filling component is fully extended. The size of the filling opening is defined exclusively by the filling element which in the deployed state protrudes laterally from the filling component in the manner of a filling funnel.
Since the foldable filling element of DE 198 33 465 A1 defines a perimeter edge of the filling opening only in the filling position of the then extended filling component, and otherwise the filling component is completely closed, the problem can arise that when the filling component is extended, the filling element remains folded up and hence no filling opening is available. Thus for example if the foldable filling element seizes, or if in winter the filling element ices up, no fluid can therefore be added, although the filling component on which the filling element is movably mounted can be extended and retracted as required.